Hare Brush
Encyclopedia
Hare Brush is a 1955 Warner Bros.
Merrie Melodies
animated short, featuring Bugs Bunny
and Elmer Fudd
. But unlike previous shorts which had them paired together, this one serves as a complete role-reversal. It is one of the three shorts that ends with Elmer victorious over Bugs.
. Fudd snaps into a moment of paranoid delusion, expressing worry and fright over hunters who are out to get him. The board of directors agrees that Fudd needs help.
Soon Elmer, now wearing a rabbit suit, is committed to The Fruitcake Sanitarium ("It's Full of Nuts") for treatment of his apparent mental illness. A few moments later, Elmer sees Bugs Bunny walk by -- in this cartoon, as in a few others, the two do not seem to be pre-acquainted -- and lures him to the window with a carrot
. Bugs naively says "You mean I can have that. And all I have to do is to open the window?" Bugs goes inside, takes the bribe, and Elmer hops out the window. Bugs lies in Elmer's bed to "keep it warm for him." Bugs then notices the medicine beside him and reads the instructions (Take one teaspoon every hour, with water), but he misinterprets the instructions and ingests the spoon instead!
The Austria
n hospital psychiatrist (whose name is Dr. Oro Myicin
, a more obscure pun than usual for Warner Brothers) comes for Elmer, but notices Bugs in his place; Myicin, having already diagnosed Elmer with "a clear case of rabbitschenia" (a pun on both rabbit skin and schizophrenia
), declares the apparent transformation of Elmer into Bugs as the "vurst case I've evah zeen!" When Myicin tries to convince Bugs he is Elmer Fudd, Bugs at first believes Myicin is identifying himself as Fudd, and politely shakes hands saying "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Fudd!" Myicin then says "No, I em naut Elmer J. Fudd, you ah Elmer J. Fudd!" Realizing the doctor's intent, Bugs presumes it is Myicin who is insane. Bugs momentary shows the audience
a card with a screw and ball ("screwball"), then attempts to psychoanalyze the doctor instead. Irked, Myicin gives Bugs a hypnotizing "kapzule." Once it takes effect, Bugs is made to repeat, over and over, "I am Elmer J. Fudd, millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht," gradually acquiring Elmer's speech pattern.
Myicin's programming works: Bugs Bunny leaves the sanitarium convinced he's Elmer Fudd and adopts his speech impediment
, pronouncing R's and L's as W's. Myicin telephones Elmer's chauffeur
ordering him not to be put off by the rabbit appearance and to get Elmer back into the lifestyle he knew before the delusion. The chauffer tells Bugs that since it is Wednesday, he brought the hunting clothes. Bugs decides to relax by going hunting, where Elmer, still in his rabbit suit, is waiting.
It's the usual chase from there, only in reverse. Notable gags include Elmer siccing a bear on Bugs and telling him to play dead; the bear
, concluding from Bugs' body odor that he is indeed dead, buries Bugs, who then falls from the underside of a cliff ledge.
In the climax, Bugs is about to capture Elmer ("No wabbit's gonna outsmawt Ewmew J. Fudd!") when a government agent (dressed in film noir G-man
attire) taps Bugs on the shoulder, asking, "Pardon me, did you say you were Elmer J. Fudd?" Bugs replies with the phrase that turned him into Elmer. "Yes, I am Ewmew J. Fudd, miwwionaiwe. I own a mansion
and a yacht
." Bugs is then arrested for Elmer's non-payment of $300,000 (equal to $ today) in back taxes, and tries in vain to explain himself, protesting, "I'm hunting a scwewy wabbit!" This time, the last line of the episode belongs to Elmer: "I may be a scwewy wabbit, but I'm not going to Owcatwaz
!", as he jauntily does the bunny hop
into the distance, implying that Elmer has been faking his insanity throughout the entire cartoon precisely to avoid being sentenced to prison for tax evasion
.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
animated short, featuring Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
and Elmer Fudd
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
. But unlike previous shorts which had them paired together, this one serves as a complete role-reversal. It is one of the three shorts that ends with Elmer victorious over Bugs.
Synopsis
Millionaire Elmer Fudd enters the boardroom of his multi-million dollar company, but he isn't himself. He's hopping around on all fours and acting like a rabbitRabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
. Fudd snaps into a moment of paranoid delusion, expressing worry and fright over hunters who are out to get him. The board of directors agrees that Fudd needs help.
Soon Elmer, now wearing a rabbit suit, is committed to The Fruitcake Sanitarium ("It's Full of Nuts") for treatment of his apparent mental illness. A few moments later, Elmer sees Bugs Bunny walk by -- in this cartoon, as in a few others, the two do not seem to be pre-acquainted -- and lures him to the window with a carrot
Carrot
The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh...
. Bugs naively says "You mean I can have that. And all I have to do is to open the window?" Bugs goes inside, takes the bribe, and Elmer hops out the window. Bugs lies in Elmer's bed to "keep it warm for him." Bugs then notices the medicine beside him and reads the instructions (Take one teaspoon every hour, with water), but he misinterprets the instructions and ingests the spoon instead!
The Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n hospital psychiatrist (whose name is Dr. Oro Myicin
Chlortetracycline
Chlortetracycline is a tetracycline antibiotic, and was the first tetracycline to be identified. It was discovered in 1945 by Dr. Benjamin Duggar working at Lederle Laboratories under the supervision of Dr.Subba Rao...
, a more obscure pun than usual for Warner Brothers) comes for Elmer, but notices Bugs in his place; Myicin, having already diagnosed Elmer with "a clear case of rabbitschenia" (a pun on both rabbit skin and schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
), declares the apparent transformation of Elmer into Bugs as the "vurst case I've evah zeen!" When Myicin tries to convince Bugs he is Elmer Fudd, Bugs at first believes Myicin is identifying himself as Fudd, and politely shakes hands saying "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Fudd!" Myicin then says "No, I em naut Elmer J. Fudd, you ah Elmer J. Fudd!" Realizing the doctor's intent, Bugs presumes it is Myicin who is insane. Bugs momentary shows the audience
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
a card with a screw and ball ("screwball"), then attempts to psychoanalyze the doctor instead. Irked, Myicin gives Bugs a hypnotizing "kapzule." Once it takes effect, Bugs is made to repeat, over and over, "I am Elmer J. Fudd, millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht," gradually acquiring Elmer's speech pattern.
Myicin's programming works: Bugs Bunny leaves the sanitarium convinced he's Elmer Fudd and adopts his speech impediment
Speech disorder
Speech disorders or speech impediments are a type of communication disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.-Classification:...
, pronouncing R's and L's as W's. Myicin telephones Elmer's chauffeur
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
ordering him not to be put off by the rabbit appearance and to get Elmer back into the lifestyle he knew before the delusion. The chauffer tells Bugs that since it is Wednesday, he brought the hunting clothes. Bugs decides to relax by going hunting, where Elmer, still in his rabbit suit, is waiting.
It's the usual chase from there, only in reverse. Notable gags include Elmer siccing a bear on Bugs and telling him to play dead; the bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
, concluding from Bugs' body odor that he is indeed dead, buries Bugs, who then falls from the underside of a cliff ledge.
In the climax, Bugs is about to capture Elmer ("No wabbit's gonna outsmawt Ewmew J. Fudd!") when a government agent (dressed in film noir G-man
G-Man (slang)
G-Man is a slang term for Special agents of the United States Government. It is specifically used as a term for a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent....
attire) taps Bugs on the shoulder, asking, "Pardon me, did you say you were Elmer J. Fudd?" Bugs replies with the phrase that turned him into Elmer. "Yes, I am Ewmew J. Fudd, miwwionaiwe. I own a mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
and a yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
." Bugs is then arrested for Elmer's non-payment of $300,000 (equal to $ today) in back taxes, and tries in vain to explain himself, protesting, "I'm hunting a scwewy wabbit!" This time, the last line of the episode belongs to Elmer: "I may be a scwewy wabbit, but I'm not going to Owcatwaz
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island is an island located in the San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. Often referred to as "The Rock" or simply "Traz", the small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and a Federal...
!", as he jauntily does the bunny hop
Bunny hop (dance)
The bunny hop is a novelty dance that was created at Balboa High School of San Francisco in 1952. It is a social mixer dance, sometimes also referred to as a "party" or "dance party" dance....
into the distance, implying that Elmer has been faking his insanity throughout the entire cartoon precisely to avoid being sentenced to prison for tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
.
Sources
- Beck, Jerry and Will Friedwald, "Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons," Henry Holt and Co., New York, 1989. (ISBN 0-8050-0894-2).